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Lawyer admits causing motorcyclist's death in AYE accident involving multiple vehicles

Lawyer admits causing motorcyclist's death in AYE accident involving multiple vehicles
The scene of the accident along Ayer Rajah Expressway on Sep 12, 2018. (Photo: SGRoadBlocks/Traffic News Telegram)

SINGAPORE: A man admitted on Monday (Apr 11) to causing a motorcyclist's death in an accident involving at least seven vehicles on the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) in 2018.

Laurence Goh Eng Yau side-swiped the motorcycle of Mr Wong Yew Wai, pushing him out into the path of an oncoming lorry in the next lane.

Mr Wong, who was 33 at the time, was run over by the lorry and pronounced dead at the scene.

Goh, now 57, pleaded guilty to one count of negligent driving. He will return to the State Courts for sentencing later this month.

The prosecution is seeking at least three weeks' jail and a five-year driving ban for Goh.

Goh is a lawyer and the sole proprietor of his eponymous legal practice, according to a search on the Ministry of Law's website.

He was heading to Bukit Panjang from his office when the accident took place near exit 7A of the AYE at about 5.20pm on Sep 12, 2018.

He was driving on the first, rightmost lane towards Tuas at about 75 to 80 kmh, which was below the speed limit.

As there was traffic congestion at the time, the two cars in front of Goh's car braked and came to a standstill.

However, Goh did not keep a proper lookout for traffic conditions ahead of him and failed to keep a safe following distance from the car in front of him, the court heard.

As a result, he continued to move forward until he suddenly noticed that the car ahead of him had stopped.

Goh braked, but as his car was too near to the back of the front vehicle, he abruptly swerved his car out to the left to avoid a collision.

He did so without first ensuring that there was no oncoming traffic in the second lane, said the prosecution.

As Goh swerved, he side-swiped Mr Wong's motorcycle, which had been travelling in the second lane and slightly behind Goh's car.

Mr Wong was suddenly pushed out onto the third lane of the AYE right in front of a lorry, whose driver was unable to stop in time. 

Goh also crashed into the rear of the car in front of him and continued swerving into the third lane, eventually stopping in between the second and third lanes.

After Goh's abrupt swerve, another two cars behind him crashed into each other and hit the two cars in front. The passenger in one of the cars suffered a neck strain as a result of the collision.

Mr Wong was pronounced dead at the scene after paramedics arrived. His cause of death was determined to be head and neck injuries consistent with those sustained in a vehicle collision.

Brake systems in Goh's car and the lorry were found to be working with no mechanical faults, according to a vehicle inspection.

Goh could be jailed up to two years, fined or receive both punishments for causing death by a negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide.

Source: CNA/dv(ta)

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